Widehand hermit • Elassochirus tenuimanus

IdentificationThis colourful hermit crab can be identified by the purplish-blue patches on one of the inner segments (merus) of its walking legs, as well as its disproportionately large and flattened right claw which has a granular surface and spiny margins. The hermit crab's carapace and appendages are reddish-brown, orange, yellow, and white. The carapace reaches around 5 cm long.

Habitat & RangeThe widehand hermit inhabits the intertidal and subtidal to 388 m deep. It can be found on a variety of sediments, from sand and mud to gravel, rock, shell, or mixed; however it is most common in areas near rocky outcrops. Its range extends from the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands in Alaska to Puget Sound, Washington.

Intriguing InfoWhile the comically large right claw seems like it could be cumbersome for movement, the widehand hermit gets along quite well by bending it beneath its body while walking. The claw comes in quite handy as a protective barrier when the hermit crab retreats into its shell, as it successfully blocks the shell's aperture.